Understanding the Fundamentals of Piston Ring Axial Motion and Twist and the Effects on Blow-By

Advances in modern engine development are becoming more and more challenging. The intense increase of thermal and mechanical loads interacting in the combustion chamber as a result of higher power density requires perfecting the function of piston rings especially with regard to emission reduction technology. The major obstacle to predicting blow-by and oil consumption is the behavior of the piston rings under engine operating conditions. Design and functionality of a piston ring are highly influenced by the operating conditions. To understand the fundamentals of ring behavior and in this way the effects on blow-by and oil consumption, an analytical tool has been developed to transform the physical boundary conditions of engine kinematics and ring design into a reliable simulation. This paper describes the physical basics of ring movement under dynamic loading conditions and gives an overview of the results. It also was necessary to validate the model with real engine measurements to understand the fundamentals of ring design as a function of the described mathematics.